Thought I made a wrong turn somewhere yesterday when I went outside for the longest expedition undertaken in recent days. What, you ask? Why a lunar landing? Simple. Upon achieving the outdoors, what was seen was a lunar landscape, a deserted landscape - no cars, no people - until we reached the store - and there, everyone was garbed as we were, shoulders hunched in avoidance as we neared any other human being. Eerie.
But even before we landed on the moon, we garbed up as if we were going somewhere dangerous and then we realized that was exactly what we were doing. Gloves? Check. Wipes? Check.Extra wipes for later? Check. Purell? Check. Courage? Uh, maybe not. This, in the land of Florida where one generally just opens the door and goes out into the 'wilds' garbed only in shorts and t shirt and do not forget the sunglases and hat. But now? Now it is different.
It also seems to promise that it will get even more different. My grandson is under lock and key in California. Thank goodness he had shopped before, for the edict was to take effect "immediately" and remain so until midnight of March 31. But perhaps that is the only way to stop or ameliorate this virus. In China it is now under control even as it widens its grip on the West, and maybe we need to learn from them, albeit without cruelty. In Italy they are triaging and most anyone over 70 will not get treatment or space in the hospital. It is just the way it is in an overloaded system, way underprepared for a crisis of this size. Nor are we, right here in America.
Back to the lunar surface. As we reached our destination we saw another weird sight, perhaps the denizens of this lunar landscape needing huge packages of paper towels and toilet paper to exist. That and water semed to fill most wagons. There were workers lined along the sides warning about limits on that strange assortment of 'food' for the shoppers but even as the expedition was over and we waited on line to pay, what happened to the six feet separation, the social distancing? It seemed to have been lost in the lunar dust somewhere, but there was not a single cough, not a single feverish looking person and lo and behold, a magic lunar dust effect took place. No one shouted or fought or argued for a space on the lines. No one refused to let someone through the line lest they cut it. Amazing! People were even more civilized than on a shopping day prior, Before, the world changed.
Outside it was an amazing sight that greeted us. What was an easy entrance before now seemed to have grown into a huge and crowded line, filled with people hanging on to wagons and baskets, laughing and talking with each other, not a complaint to be heard and six feet? What was that?
All kidding aside, this is not a funny lunar landing, but the new normal. And we had better improve on that if we are to flatten the curve, lower it somehow so we can get a grip on things. $1,000 check is fine, but then what? The stores will still be closed and I must admit that all the emails I received yesterday , each one from a major retailer, telling me they were closing for two weeks - well, now that was frightening. And then I saw a story about a run on $100 billls in Manhattan. I even questioned whether we should pull some cash out of the bank before it goes under but then decided that if that happens, there is no use fighting so why the cash?!
Now the doctors are calling. Office hours are over. Closed. Procedures cancelled. Questions and unknowns will remain unanswered, remain unknown until further notice. Not a good feeling but then again, we seemed to have landed on a lunar colony with different rules than our previously known civilization.
Every country in the world has been affected or will be. We need to face that fact and know that this thing will be around as a threat until and unless we follow the harsh rules, develop and produce a vaccine, and remember the rules for afterwards. Watch yourself. Always wash your hands. Take precautions. And stock up on books and games!
I, personally, hate this mess for a personal reason. Yes, I know I am in the category of most at risk but am dealing with it. Yet it is difficult to deal with the personal aspect. Every time my husband, who thinks he is invincible, goes out on another errand, I cringe. I know I have to pick up the phone to remain in contact with friends. Our family, for the first time in years, will not be together for Passover. Neither will the families of friends. We, the seniors, are repurchasing supplies as if we were newlyweds, making the first Passover ever. And it will be lonely. Majorly so. The worst? The fact that I miss my grandkids and yeah, even my adult children! We Facetime, we Whatsapp, we email, we phone but not the same. No hugs. No kisses. No one on one games. This is the hardest thing of all. This is what saddens me and angers me.
Why did we not prepare for this? We knew a pandemic was coming along one day. We have had close calls before. So why did Trump et al cut funding for health needs. Why in the midst of all this is McConnell trying to get older judges off the bench so they can ram through more unqualified, fossilized thinking replacements, all the better to screw us for decades? Why are the GOP members adding insult to injury and injury after injury to our democracy?
We are facing existential questions and concerns on all ends and all around us. Even when and if a vaccine is around, there are lessons to be learned here and life changes to be made. Perhaps, just perhaps, we will learn those lessons and we will also learn how important social life is. No, not the mad partying of the young, but the connections in real time and space with friends and family, even with people you meet waiting in line! I yearn for those times again and wonder if they will return, at least in my lifetime.
This is a bad lunar landscape we are now facing. Soon enough I have to tog all up for my space journey to the rehab gym so I do not stiffen up. Gloves, wipes, Purell, and a self reminder to wash before, during and after the session. And watch out for a cough!! Life!
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